Frictional temperature regulation of a fluid

A production system comprising a processing system and a homogenizing cutting tool, the production system being configured to:

• flow a heterogeneous fluid mixture into contact with the homogenizing cutting tool;
• frictionally heat the fluid mixture by driving the cutting tool so as to obtain a heated and homogenized fluid mixture;
• and
• flow the heated and homogenized fluid mixture away from the cutting tool;
• wherein the processing system comprises one or more processors configured to:
• measure a fluid mixture temperature so as to obtain a measured fluid mixture temperature and determine a target fluid mixture temperature;
• and
• drive the cutting tool at the rate based on (i) the target fluid mixture temperature and (ii) the measured fluid mixture temperature, and
• continuously flow a plurality of precursors into a pre-mixer to produce the heterogeneous fluid mixture;
• continuously flow the heterogeneous fluid mixture into an inlet of a first inline disperser comprising the homogenizing cutting tool;
• and
• continuously introduce an additive into the heated and homogenized fluid mixture and continuously flowing the combination within a second inline disperser comprising a second homogenizing cutting tool.

A urea grease production system comprising:

• (a) a first tank for storing a first precursor and a second tank for storing a second precursor;
• (b) a premixer for producing a first fluid mixture comprising urea thickener particles heterogeneously dispersed in a base oil from the first precursor and the second precursor, the premixer being disposed downstream of the first and second tanks and comprising:
• a first inlet for receiving the first precursor,
• a second inlet for receiving the second precursor,
• a stirring assembly disposed in a mixing chamber for producing the first fluid mixture, and
• an outlet for continuously flowing the first fluid mixture out of the premixer;
• and
• (c) a first inline disperser for producing a second fluid mixture comprising urea grease by heating and homogenizing the first fluid mixture, the first inline disperser being disposed downstream of the premixer and configured to receive the first fluid mixture from the premixer, the first inline disperser comprising:
• an inlet for receiving the first fluid mixture,
• an outlet for flowing the second fluid mixture toward the second inline disperser, and
• a cutting tool disposed in a mixing chamber and comprising a plurality of radially alternating rotor stages and stator stages;
• and
• (d) a processing system comprising one or more processors configured to control a rotational speed of the plurality of rotor stages based on a target fluid mixture temperature, a measured fluid mixture temperature, and an asymmetric deadband set comprising an inner deadband and an outer deadband.

A production method comprising:

• flowing a heterogeneous fluid mixture into contact with a homogenizing cutting tool;
• measuring a fluid mixture temperature so as to obtain a measured fluid mixture temperature and determining a target fluid mixture temperature;
• frictionally heating the fluid mixture so as to obtain a heated and homogenized fluid mixture by driving the cutting tool at a rate based on (i) the target fluid mixture temperature and (ii) the measured fluid mixture temperature;
• and
• flowing the heated and homogenized fluid mixture away from the cutting tool,
• wherein the rate is a target rotational speed, the measured fluid mixture temperature is a current measured fluid mixture temperature, and the method further comprises updating the target rotational speed based on (i) the target fluid mixture temperature, (ii) the current measured fluid mixture temperature, and (iii) an asymmetric deadband set.